USS Gato SS-212

My grandmother Dora's sister Harriet Cramer is one of two great aunts who remain of her generation. The other aunt has dementia so she is no help in determining any family history. Harriet was kind and met with Carol, Kate and I several months ago. I have been tracking down information on the things she told us that afternoon. What an amazing woman she is. She has a clear memory of so many things. Today I want to spend some time talking about her husband. Don Cramer was an electrician. She met him when she worked at the state hospital in Peoria which is now Zeller. Don's mother worked as an activity specialist and his father was a barber. They introduced the Harriet and Don and the rest is a glorious story. Don moved around working at large projects, the Boss Glove Factory in Kewanee, Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, Dixon State Hospital before moving to Colorado in 1952 and working on the Gunnison Black Canyon Dam project. This was after his service in the Second World War. Don joined the navy in 1938 and was trained as an electrician. During the war he served on the USS Gato SS-212.

The USS Gato was the lead ship in the Gato-class submarine fleet which numbered 77 ships and was the backbone of US Navy submarine operations in the Pacific during World War II. The life of a submariner during World War II was one of the most dangerous assignments during the war. The US Navy launched a total of 288 submarines and 52 were lost. When lost generally all hands on board perished. During the war 3,505 of the submarines were lost of the 14,750 assigned. About 24% death rate.

The Gato's keel was laid on October 5, 1940 and the boat was constructed by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. My mother grew up in nearby Waterford, CT. The Gato was launched on August 21, 1941 and formally commissioned on December 31, 1941 with Lt. Commander W. G. Myers at the helm. The Gato had a running length of 311 feet, with a 27 foot beam and a 17 foot draught. It displaced 1,550 tons surfaced and 2,460 tons submerged. The Gato could officially dive to a depth on 300 feet though when under attack many were known to go deeper. The vessel carried enough food, fuel and supplies for a patrol time of about 75 days. It carried a crew of between 60 and 80 with 6 command officers.

The Gato began her first patrol in the Pacific on April 20, 1942 sailing out of Pearl Harbor. What a sight that must have been for the crew. Seeing first hand the distruction caused by the attack on December 7,1941. On May 3, 1942 she saw her first actionin which she identified but failed to sink a Japanese aircraft carrier near the Marshall Islands. The Gato was chased off by four destroyers who laid down a barrage of depth charges. During the battle of Midway Island later in May the Gato was stationed to the west to protect the US fleet. Her first war patrol ended June 10, 1942.

Her second patrol began July 2, 1942 off the Kurile Islands. On August 15, 1942 she engaged an enemy vessel and fired four torpedoes toward the target. The results were not confirmed. He mad way to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska for resupply.

Her third patrol began September 4, 1942 after a stop at Pearl Harbor she settled in near Truk Atoll. An enemy convoy was identified and the Gato attacked on December 6th. She was driven off by a combined aerial attack and depth charge assault. Her third patrol ended at Brisbane, Australia on December 23, 1942.

The Gato set back to sea on January 13, 1943. She attacked the transport ship Kenkon Maru on January 21st sucessfully sinking the ship off New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. The Nichiun Maru cargo vessel followed on January 29th and the Suruga Maru was sunk on February 15, 1943. Her fourth patrol ended February 26, 1943.

The fifth war patrol began on March 19, 1943. The Gato dropped special operatives of the Australian Intelligence Party at Toep in Bougainville on March 29th. She took on 39 civilians, 27 of the group were children, and dropped them off safely to an allied ship at Ramos, Florida Island. On April 4th the Gato was conducting a submerged radar attack near Tanga and Lihir Islands when she came under an intense depth charge attack by  enemy destroyers. She suffered damage to her hull and some components. She was required to retreat and undergo repairs at Brisbane. She returned to the fight on April 20th. On May 29th she dropped Australian Special Forces at Toep Harbor and took on more refugees. She set course for Pearl Harborand then went to Mare Island Shipyard near San Francisco for an overhaul. She returned to Pearl Harbor on August 22, 1943.

The sixth war patrol began on September 6, 1943 when she made her way to Brisbane via Truk and Bougainville. On October 19, 1943 she attacked two enemy cargo vessels with unconfirmed damage. The patrol ended October 28th.

The story of the Gato will continue tomorrow with her seventh war patrol.